The Vital ForceSunahu Sadhak Pyare - Part 16
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साधना है एक ही बस, भक्ति हरि की प्यारे ।
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sādhanā hai eka hī basa, bhakti hari kī pyāre ।
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"Sadhana or scriptural practice means practicing devotion to God). "
There are 9 primary ways of practicing devotion
There are 9 primary ways of practicing devotion
श्रवणं कीतमनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम्। अचमनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मवनवेदनम्॥
भा ७.५.२३ |
śravaṇaṃ kīrtanaṃ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṃ pādasevanam ।
arcanaṃ vandanaṃ dāsyaṃ sakhyamātmanivedanam ॥ |
These are known as Navadha Bhakti. (nine fold devotion).
यच्छ्रोतव्यमथो जप्यं यत्कर्तव्यं नृभि: प्रभो ।
स्मर्तव्यं भजनीयं वा ब्रूहि यद्वा विपर्ययम् ॥ भा 1.19.38 |
yacchrotavyamatho japyaṃ yatkartavyaṃ nṛbhi: prabho ।
smartavyaṃ bhajanīyaṃ vā brūhi yadvā viparyayam ॥ bhā 1.19.38 |
Parikshit asked Shukdev Paramhans - What should human beings listen and pay attention to? Whose name should they chant? What should they do? Who should they remember?
Shukdev suggested following three of nine ways of devotion; remember God, chant the names of God and listen to the names, attributes and pastimes of God.
Shukdev suggested following three of nine ways of devotion; remember God, chant the names of God and listen to the names, attributes and pastimes of God.
तस्माद्भारत सर्वात्मा भगवानीश्वरो हरि: ।
श्रोतव्य: कीर्तितव्यश्च स्मर्तव्यश्चेच्छताभयम् ॥ भा 2.1.5 |
tasmādbhārata sarvātmā bhagavānīśvaro hari: ।
śrotavya: kīrtitavyaśca smartavyaścecchatābhayam ॥ bhā 2.1.5 |
You are listening to the names, attributes and pastimes of God right now. That is important.
सिद्धान्त बलिया चित्ते ना कर अलस।
गौरांग महाप्रभु |
siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa।
gaurāṃga mahāprabhu |
Do not be sluggish in acquiring the knowledge of philosophy. If you are lazy, you may fall from the path of devotion. You need to know about God, the individual soul and Maya. You should understand the true nature of the world? What is mind? What is intellect? If you have thorough knowledge of the philosophy, you will steadily move forward on the path of devotion.
Lord Shiva says to Mother Parvati –
Lord Shiva says to Mother Parvati –
उमा जे राम चरन रत बिगत काम मद क्रोध निज प्रभुमय देखहिं जगत केहि सन करहिं बिरोध
#रामचरितमानस |
umā je rāma carana rata bigata kāma mada krodha nija prabhumaya dekhahiṃ jagata kehi sana karahiṃ birodha
#rāmacaritamānasa |
Uma! Whose mind is attached to the lotus feet of Shri Ram, can never be overpowered by anger, passion or greed.
सिया राम मय सब जग जानी । करउँ प्रणाम जोरी जुग पानी ॥
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siyā rāma maya saba jaga jānī । karaum̐ praṇāma jorī juga pānī ॥
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If someone does not have the knowledge of philosophy, and they observe the life of the Gopis or those of other great personalities like Arjun, Hanuman and Prahlad etc they will doubt their authencity as a saint and would thus face downfall/ One you acquire the knowledge of philosophy, you would understand that God and saints are endowed with the power of Yogmaya. With this divine power, they perform actions that resemble the various modes of Maya, while being completely detached from those actions. Their mind remains constantly engrossed only in divine thoughts.
God looks after the entire universe and keeps a record of every action of each individual soul in the universe. But looking towards this filthy world, where most individual beings perform acts of anger, passion and greed etc., He neither gets bored nor does He get angry, because of His Yogmaya power.
God looks after the entire universe and keeps a record of every action of each individual soul in the universe. But looking towards this filthy world, where most individual beings perform acts of anger, passion and greed etc., He neither gets bored nor does He get angry, because of His Yogmaya power.
कर्तुमकर्तुमन्यथाकर्तुं समर्थः ।
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kartumakartumanyathā kartuma samarthaḥ ।
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The power of Yogmaya is such that it is capable of doing anything or not doing anything or even doing something completely inverted. With such a power what can God not do? The Bhagavat says –
धाम्ना स्वेन सदा निरस्तकुहकं सत्यं परं धीमहि ॥
भा 1.1.1 |
dhāmnā svena sadā nirastakuhakaṃ satyaṃ paraṃ dhīmahi ॥
bhā 1.1.1 |
So knowledge of philosophy is essential. Hence Shukdev Paramhans preached about 3-fold devotion several times
श्रवणं कीर्तनं ध्यानं हरेरद्भुतकर्मण: ।
जन्मकर्मगुणानां च तदर्थेऽखिलचेष्टितम् ॥ भा 11.3.27 |
śravaṇaṃ kīrtanaṃ dhyānaṃ hareradbhautakarmaṇa: ।
janmakarmaguṇānāṃ ca tadarthe'khilaceṣṭitam ॥ bhā 11.3.27 |
Of these three, Smarnam (remembrance) is most essential. Remembering God is the vital life of devotion. Devotion is no devotion at all without remembrance of God.
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